This invention pertains to an adjustable hinge for mounting a door to a frame, and more particularly to a hinge for providing adjustment of the door relative to the frame in both vertical and horizontal directions.
In mounting a door to a frame, it is often difficult to obtain precisely the desired position of the door relative to the frame. For this reason, it is common for door manufacturers to market pre-hung doors in which the door is mounted to the frame at the factory under controlled conditions so that precise positioning of the door can be obtained. The door and frame assembly is then shipped as a unit to the construction site for installation into an opening formed in a wall.
However, there are times when pre-hung doors cannot be employed and it is necessary to hang a door in an existing opening in which a frame has been constructed. In addition, not all doors for new construction are available in pre-hung form, making it necessary to construct a frame within an opening and to fit the door into the frame. In these instances, obtaining precise positioning of the door within the frame is a difficult and time consuming task even for the most skilled workman.
It is object of the present invention to provide an adjustable hinge adapted for connection to a conventional door frame for providing positioning of the door relative to the frame after the door has been mounted to the frame. It is a further object of the invention to provide an adjustable hinge in which the position of the door relative to the frame can be adjusted in both the vertical and horizontal directions. It is a further object of the invention to provide an adjustable hinge which is relatively simple in its construction and relatively easy to install.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an adjustable hinge broadly consists of a frame leaf for mounting to the door frame, a door leaf pivotably mounted to the frame leaf, and an adjustable mounting arrangement for mounting the door leaf to the door. The adjustable mounting arrangement includes a base member to which the door leaf is mounted and a cover member fixedly mounted to the door, with the base member and the cover member being interconnected to form a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly includes a vertically and horizontally adjustable mounting arrangement for mounting the door leaf to the mounting assembly, for providing vertical and horizontal adjustability in the vertical and horizontal position of the door relative to the frame.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the door includes a recess within which the mounting assembly formed by the cover member and the base member are received. In this manner, the mounting assembly does not interfere with the surfaces of the door and frame which face each other when the door is closed. The cover member is mounted within a first recess formed in the door, and includes a planar outer surface which is coplanar with the facing surface of the door when the mounting assembly is mounted to the door. A second recess extends inwardly from the first recess and the base member is mounted within the second recess.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, horizontal adjustment of the adjustable mounting arrangement is provided by a threaded member interconnected with the base member, with the door leaf being mounted to and horizontally movable with the threaded member for adjusting the horizontal position of the door leaf relative to the door. The base member is fixedly mounted to the cover member against horizontal movement, and the base member and cover member cooperate to define a ribbed passage within which the door leaf is received. The threaded member includes structure for securing the door leaf thereto, whereby movement of the threaded member relative to the base member results in leveraged horizontal movement of the door leaf within the ribbed passage, to adjust the horizontal position of the door relative to the door leaf. The base member is received within a cavity defined by the cover member, and is fixedly mounted to the cover member against horizontal movement by means of a plate member secured to the cover member to capture the base member within the internal cavity defined by the cover member. The threaded member includes a head, and the structure for securing the door leaf to the threaded member consists of a shoulder provided on the threaded member spaced from the head, with the door leaf being received within the space between the head and the shoulder of the threaded member.
In accordance with yet another object of the invention, vertical adjustment of the adjustable mounting arrangement is accomplished by means of a vertical adjustment mechanism interposed between the cover member and the base member, with the door leaf being engaged with the base member. Adjustment in the vertical position of the base member relative to the cover member results in adjustment of the vertical position of the door relative to the door leaf, to adjust the vertical position of the door relative to the frame. The base member is mounted for vertical movement relative to the cover member, and a threaded adjustment screw is engaged with the cover member and with the base member for adjusting the vertical position of the base member relative to the cover member. The base member is located within an internal cavity defined by the cover member and is vertically movable within the internal cavity in response to turning of the threaded adjustment screw. The cover member defines a vertical opening providing access to the internal cavity within which the base member is received, and a plate member is positioned over the opening to secure the base member within the internal cavity and to fix the base member against horizontal movement therewithin. The cover member includes a recess and a threaded passage extending inwardly at an angle from the recess. The head of the vertical adjustment screw is disposed within the recess. Turning of the vertical adjustment screw results in vertical movement of the threaded member, for adjusting the vertical position of the base member relative to the cover member.
The above-summarized aspects of the invention are preferably all combined into an adjustable hinge which is easily installed, provides essentially the same outward appearance as a conventional hinge, and which provides the capability of adjusting the vertical or horizontal position of the door relative to the frame at any time after installation of the door.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.